Yesterday, after our first site visit tour at Google, I was ready for our second, the Guiness Enterprise Centre (GEC). I learned about incubators and their uses in my introductory business class, but this is my first time looking inside one. I walked through the hallway and glancing left and right at the open office spaces, watching people were hard at work at the computers or talking with other people. We sat down and listened to a presentation about the entrepreneurial background of Ireland, not just about GEC. I was first impressed at how there was such an open connection between entrepreneurs, and how broad these connections were, connecting places in Dublin, north, south, east, and west of Ireland as well. It is a small country, so it made sense that all these incubators are connected in some way, but to have a network that encompasses the entire country should be a great resource for the people working there and the companies supporting the incubators. On the topic of companies, I was also surprised by the number of companies that supported the incubators. I didn’t really think that that many companies supported incubators. By the name of the centre, I thought that Guiness was the main funder and supporter, but it makes sense that many companies would love to have a stake in the new and fresh ideas that creative minds are making in these spaces. However, what I learned most out of everything was to keep an open and creative mind, and not to be afraid of asking for help. The entrepreneurs that pay for the rent of these facilities essentially pay to network with people and gain knowledge from others. I can do that for free at college, abiet I am paying for tuition, which is more for classes. Talking to professors, going to career fairs, and visiting the writing center are all “free” resources that I should be taking use of, while I have the chance, especially at a crucial time in developing my business career.

I have always thought about what an entrepreneurial mindset means, and to someone who doesn’t and didn’t know a clear road for their career and future goals, it was impressive to see what entrepreneurs did and how they were so laser focused on their goals. However, now, I believe that the entrepreneurial mindset is not just for people that want to go out on their own path and create their own business. I think that the mindset is the willingness and the boldness to go out of your comfortable zone and try something new and creative, regardless of its success. It does not have to be an entire business, but there should be something that you create that you hold accountable and responsible for, which you lead the development or push the development for, spearheaded with your own passion and determination. Not everyone has a one million dollar idea, but the willingness to try something that you think has potential and learning from its success or failure is what I think is the most important thing to an entrepreneurial mindset.